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DODGE'S 






GEOGRAPHY 






OF 






ARKANSAS 






HINEMON 




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Rand M^NaUr & Co. 


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fUBHARY of C0NaS£3s| 
Two Copies Heceiruf! | 

MAR 5 IJ08 I 

wupyieni entry 
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Copyright ]»J^. 



copyRiGirr deposit. 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 

By John H. Hinemon, former State Superintendent of Schools, Arkansas 

Copyrigh", lOOS, liy Ran-l. McNally t Co. 



I. ARKANSAS AS A WHOLE 
Location and Size. Arkansas (pronounced 

Ar'k«n-sa'). one of the Southern States of the 
Mississippi Basin, lies between the parallels 
of T,;^ degrees and 36 degrees 30 minutes north 
latitude. The state extends westward from 
the Mississippi River about 250 miles, and 
the distance from its northern to its southern 
boundary line is about 240 miles; in shape, 
therefore, it is almost a square. (Fig. 2.) It 
contains an area of 53,850 square miles, of 
which 53,045 square miles are land. This 
makes Arkansas twenty-third in size among 
the states of the Union, its area being about 
one-fifth that of Texas and about the same 
as that of Alabama and North Carolina. 



Surface. All the principal rivers of the 
state run either in a southerly or south- 
easterly direction. (Fig. 4.) This shows us 
that the general surface of Arkansas is an 
inclined plane with its base along the rivers 
of the south and east and extending upward 
toward the mountains of the northwest. 
These mountains are a part of the Ozark 
Plateau. (Adv. Geog., Fig. 191.) North of 
the Arkansas River and extending from the 
western boundary to the Black River are the 
Boston Mountains. In the western part of 
the state the Magazine Mountains lie south 
of the Arkansas, while still farther south 
are the Fourche Mountains. The scenery 
throughout all the mountainous section of 
northwestern Arkansas and along the White 




Fig. I. .1 sccuc :ii M.in^'i: ''•niitty in the pictnrr-.qn. 



r< I'j.'ii of )iortlih\-ilcni Arhiinsas. 



rl' 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 




_fl Lonsi^J' B I' ■ ' *" -"■'.'" C 



Fig. 2. ^ political map of Arkansas. 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 




J2 Sta/itle Miles to cue htch 
Capital -^ County Seats a Olhey Cil. 

CUUi Willi 40,000 and ovir LlttlC KOClC 

Cities from ibfio^to 40,000 Fort Smith 

Cities from 2,000 to lofioo Helena 

Cities from j,ooo to 2,000 Benlonvillc 

filiates under 1,000 Boonevil'e 

^1 Railroads ' Xavigable Rivers ,m^» 



33' 



Copyright, tqo<i, by Rand, McNally £" Company 



River above Batesville is remarkable for its 
beauty. (Figs, i and 5.)^ It is a region that has 
much of variety. There are rugged mountains, 
primeval forests, picturesque streamis, and wide 
areas of upland farm and fertile valley lands. 

Mount Magazine (Fig. 6), in Logan County, 
with an altitude of 2,823 feet, is the highest 
elevation in the state (Fig. 3) and is said to be 
the highest point between the Rockies and the 
Alleghenies. 

The lowlands or plains of the southeast are a 
part of the Gulf Coastal Plain. (Adv. Geog., Fig. 
191.) Long ages ago these lands formed a pa^t 
of the basin of the extended Gulf of Mexico. 
Gradually the region rose, the waters of the 
ocean slowly retreated, and at the same time 
the White, the Arkansas, and the Red ri\-ers 
became tributary to the extended trunk of the 
Mississippi. In Arkansas the old coast line of 
the Gulf is almost identical with the present line 
of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain iS: Southern Rail- 
way, extending from Texarkana to Cairo, and all 
that portion of the state between this line and 
the Mississippi was covered at one time by the 
waters of the extended Gulf of Mexico. 

The uplands of Arkansas constitute about 
two-fifths of the whole area of the state, and in 
this region are found the best fruit-producing 
sections. The soil of the lowlands is made up 
largely of rich allm-ium on which cotton thrives 
luxuriantly, so that this is one of the V)est cot- 
ton-producing regions of the country. (Fig. 20.) 
Drainage. For the most part Arkansas is 
drained by five principal water courses: the 
Red, Arkansas, Ouachita, White, and St. Francis 
rivers. The waters of the state flow in a general 
direction toward the southeast and reach the 
Gulf of Mexico by way of the Mississippi River. 
With the exception of the Ouachita, these five 
ri^•ers all flow directly into the Mississippi, which 
forms the entire eastern boundary of Arkansas. 
(Fig. 2.) These streams have numerous tribu- 
taries, and Arkansas has altogether more miles 
of navigable water ways in proportion to its 
area than any other state in the Union. 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 




Fig. 3. ^4 physical map of Arkansas. 

The Red River rises in Texas amid the rich 
red loams of the Llano Estacado (Adv. Geog. , 
Fig. 189), and because of heavy and sudden 
rainfalls its waters are heavily laden with a 
red sediment. This gives the stream the 
peculiar color to which it owes its name. 
The Arkansas River rises in the 
Rocky Mountains of Colorado. 
Its waters also carry a large 
amoimt of sediment, which in 
time of high water is deposited 
throughout the flood plains and 
gives to the bottom lands great 
fertility and productiveness. 
Oi'dinarily the overflows of the 
Red and the Arkansas rivers 
are not caused by local rains, 
but are the result of weather 
conditions near their sources. 

The river basins contain 
many "oxbow" lakes that have 
been formed by changes in the 
courses of the streams. (Adv. 
Geog., Fig. 49.) At each bend 
of a river there is constantly a 
tendency to cut away the outer 
bank. If in course of time, the 



water cuts through the bank, it forms 
what is called a "chute" or "cut-off." 
Frequently the ends of the old river 
beds are closed by silt and completely 
separated from the new channel, and 
thus "oxbow" lakes are formed. 

The Arkansas (Fig. 9) is a very slug- 
gish stream; its bed is filled with shoals 
and sand bars, and where it comes in 
contact with the waters of the Missis- 
sippi a bar has gradually been formed 
across its mouth. About seventy years 
ago the waters of the Arkansas cut 
their way to the White at a point 
about sixty miles above the mouth of 
that river. Arkansas River boats are 
now able to pass from the Mississippi 
into the White through this "cut-off" 
and thence into the waters of the Arkansas. 
This "chute" formed an island which contains 
an area of more than fifty thousand acres, is 
densely wooded, and in great part is subject 
to overflow. This island is an extremely 
wild region and a great resort for sportsmen. 




Reproduced from John 0. Bnnnet'e Oeolo|ic»l Relief Map of Arka&su, oourteej of A. B. Purdutt. 

Fig. 4. A relief map of Arka}isas. 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



The White River 
(Fig. 8) rises in the 
extreme northwestern 
part of the state and, 
with many meanders, 
flows in a southeaster- 
ly direction toward the 
Mississippi. Dams 
built across the river 
near Batesville (Fig. 
7), render this beauti- 
ful stream navigable 
throughout the year 
as far as Buffalo City, 
Marion County. From 
its source to the city of 
Batesville the current 
of White River is swift ; in the lower part of 
its course it winds slowly through a low 
alluvial valley with a soil remarkable for its 
fertility. White River and its tributaries 
are supplied with water which pours from 
the rocky hillsides in streams fed by a multi- 
tude of springs. All these rivers are noted 
for their beautifully transparent waters, and 
it is due to this characteristic that the prin- 
cipal one owes its name. 

The St. Francis River rises in St. Francis 
County, -Mis- 
souri. Separa- 
ting Clay and 
Greene coun- 
ties from Dunk- 
lin County, 
Missouri, the 
river then fol- 
lows a sinuous 
course south- 
ward through 
the counties of 
Craighead, 
Poinsett, Cross, 
and St. Francis 
and enters the 
Mississippi 







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Cotirtesj of the Mlpiourl Paolflo Rallwey Compinj- 

FiG 5. Haudford Bluff, near BalcsviUc 1 hcsc moun- 
tain-like deposits are of limestone and furnish 
exicUcnt material for building and 
paving purposes. 




Fig, 



a1)out ten miles above 
the city of Helena. 
This stream is navi- 
gable for about two 
hundred miles and 
passes through one of 
the richest farming 
sections of the state. 
Millions of acres of 
rich lands in the basin 
of this stream are pro- 
tected from overflow 
by the St. Francis 
Levee, which was com- 
pleted in 1905. This 
levee is more than two 
hundred miles in extent 
and was built at a cost that exceeded four 
million dollars. 

In the eastern part of the state are numer- 
ous smaller streams and bayous. Many of 
these are filled by water which "backs" into 
their channels from the Mississippi Ri\-er and 
its larger tributaries during the time of high 
water. Throughout this section are found 
large numbers of "oxbow" lakes, which are 
filled with water during seasons of overflow 
and remain as lakes when the waters recede. 

Arkansas is 
one of the best- 
watered states 
in the Union 
and springs of 
excellent water 
exist in almost 
every locality. 
In the north- 
western part of 
the state large 
and beautiful 
springs are 
abundant, and 
in some the flow 
is so great that 
they furnish 



6. .4 valley in the Magazine Mountains. Al'ove the valley rises 
Mount Magazine, the loftiest summit in the state. Rugged 
ranges, broad valleys, and beautiful streams char- 
acterize this entire region. 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



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Fig. 7. The Government Vain across the White River 
near Baiesville. 

power used in operating mills and factories. 
Laster Spring and Big Spring in Independ- 
ence County, Rush Spring in Marion County, 
Mill Spring in Stone County, and the spring 
at Marble City, Newton County, are all noted 
for their size and their unusual volume of 
water. Mammoth Spring, Fulton County, 
which owes its name to its enormous dis- 
charge of water, furnishes abundant water 
power. (Fig. 10.) Its flow remains almost 
uniform throughout the year, and its dis- 
charge is said to be 9,000 barrels per minute. 
The waters of Mammoth Spring are espe- 
cially adapted to the culture of bass. For this 
reason a fish hatchery (Fig. 11) has recently 
been placed here with a view to re-stock- 
ing the streams of the state with bass from 
this estabhsh- 
ment. Silver 
Spring and 
Siloam Springs 
(Fig. 50) in 
Benton County 
are among the 
most beautiful 
springs in Ar- 
kansas. Silver 
Spring is the 
source of a 
clear stream of 

r , Fig. 8. A view of the White River. 

water trom two £;„^_ ^^^ ^f the most flourish 

to three feet White and the seat of 



deep and from six to ten feet wide. Eureka 
Springs is a much frequented resort. Big 
Spring, in Washington County, near Fayette- 
ville, has an output of about two and one-half 
million gallons in twenty-four hours. 

Blue Spring, eight miles from Eureka 
Springs, Carroll County, has a basin about 
forty feet in diameter. It is said to be 
several hundred feet deep, which accounts 
for the deep blue appearance of its water. 




Fig. 9. 



One of the great bridges spantiing tlie Arkansas 
River at Little Rock. 




Climate. Owing to the position of the 
state the climate is modified by winds from 
the Gulf of Mexico. Hence the winters are 
never very cold and the summers are warm. 
Differences in altitude cause a considerable 
range of temperature between the southeast 

and northwest 
at all seasons. 
(Adv. Geog., 
Figs. 82 and 
84.) The mean 
annual temper- 
ature (Fig. 1 2) 
for 1904 was 
60.5 degrees; 
the mean tem- 
perature for 
\\' i n t e r was 
41.2 degrees; 
and that for 
summer 77.1 



In the distance may be seen Devall 
ing towns in the valley of the 
growing industries. 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



degrees. The highest 
temperature recorded 
was 105 degrees and 
the lowest 5 degrees 
below zero, giving an 
absolute range for the 
year of iio degrees. 
During the growing 
season the climate is 
such that agricultural 
and orchard products 
in great variety can 
be produced abun- 
dantly throughout the 
larger part of the state. The rainfall (Fig. 
13) in Arkansas is nearly as great as in any 
part of the eastern United States with the 
exception of the areas along the Gulf coast 
and about the summits of the Appalachians. 
(Adv. Geog., Fig. 188.) The rainfall for the 
year 1904 was 43.45 inches. The snow fall 
was slight, only 3 . 5 inches. 

Vegetation. Originally Arkansas was one 
of the most heavily-timbered states in the 
Union, and to-day forests still cover more than 
three-fourths of its total area. The early 
settlers, were extremely careless in their use 
of these valuable resources, and large areas 
have been deforested. There is now, how- 
ever, a growing tendency to check the useless 




Fig. 10. Tlie dam across Spring River. The source of 
this river is Mammoth Spring. 



waste and destruction 
of valuable timber in 
this state as there is in 
all parts of the country, 
where the need for sav- 
ing the limited timber 
supply is recognized. 
In Arkansas the saving 
of the timber is made 
easier because most of 
her forests, especially 
those of the pine belt, 
have unusual self-re- 
newing qualities. The 
Arkansas National Forest, of 1,073,955 acres 
has recently been established. It is situated 
in the western part of the state and farther 
east than any other National Forest. A large 
area has also been withdrawn from settlement 
as the proposed Ozark National Forest. 

Every variety of staple hard and soft wood 
flourishes in Arkansas. It is said 130 kinds 
of trees are found in this state ; among these 
are included the black walnut, hickories, 
cedar, oaks, cypress, pine, cottonwood, elm, 
red gum, sycamore, beech, black locust, and 
maple. Oak, walnut, hickory, and ash of the 
finest grades are abundant. The hard woods 
are found chiefly north of the Arkansas River 
and are unsurpassed in variety and quality. 




Fig. II. The United States Government fish hatchery at Mammoth Spring. The large volume of cool, pure water 
found here makes this an ideal situation for the breeding of fish, especially bass. The young ^ 

fish are to be distributed among the various streams of the state. 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 




Fig. 12. The mean annual temperature and rainfall of Arkansas 

In the southern and southeastern parts of 
the state are large areas of magnificent yellow 
pine timber. 

Animal Life. When the state was first 
explored and settled, wild animals were 
abundant. Large buffalo licks, so-called 
because the buffaloes licked the earth for 
the salt which it contained, are found in 
the southeastern part of the state. Bears, 
wolves, and panthers were numerous, 
especially in the bottom lands of the 
Mississippi and its tri1)utaries. Great 
herds of deer were found everywhere 
in the state. Swan, geese, ducks, and 
other wild fowl were common on all 
the streams and lakes. Swan Lake, in 
Jefferson County, owes its name to the 
fact that swan in large numbers then 
frequented the locality. Small game 
was plentiful everywhere. The buffalo 
has disappeared before the advance of ^°- 
civilization, and other large game is 
found only occasionally. Much of this 
wild life was recklessly slaughtered, and 
strong efforts are now being made by 
the state to preserve and protect game, 
fish, and birds. Some attention is also 



being given to the hatching of fish with 
a view to re-stocking the streams of the 
state with bass and other varieties of 
food fish. In 1903 a law was passed 
])rohibiting the shipping of game or fish 
out of the state, a measure that will 
greatly aid in the protection and pres- 
ervation of the game. 

Native Peoples. When European ex- 
plorers first visited the Mississippi Val- 
ley, two great tribes of Indians, the 
Osages and Quapaws, lived in the region 
now comprising the state of Arkansas. 
The territory north of the Arkansas 
River was occupied by the Osages, while 
the Quapaws — called Akaiisca by the 
Frencli — were scattered over the south- 
ern portion of the state. Under treaties 
made in 1808 and 181 8 the Osages ceded 
their lands to the Government and moved 
farther west, and in 1824 the Quapaws 
exchanged their Arkansas lands for a grant 
in northern Louisiana. 

In 181 7 the Cherokees migrated from 
Tennessee to Arkansas and for eleven years 
lived in tlie northwestern part of that terri- 
tory. In 1820 the Choctaws came into the 
territor\' from Alabama 
and Mississippi, settling 
in the southwest. There 
was almost constant 
trouble with the set- 
tlers and the Choctaws, 



^vetag^c 






Average jy.$^ inches 



I g. 



FORT SMITH. 



Fig. 1,3. 



The average annual rainfall of Amity and Fori Smith 
from i8gf to 190^. 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 




From a [ihotograph. Courtesy if Mr*. E n Mi-Pi 

Fig. 14. Augustus Hill Garland. 
A gifted citizen of Arkansas 
and one of the most dis- 
tinguished statesmen 
of his day. 



in 1825, readily- 
consented to ex- 
change their land 
for a large grant 
farther west. 

History. Early 
in the sixteenth 
century DeSoto, 
the famous 
Spanish explorer, 
spent ten months 
in the region now 
included in Ar- 
Icansas. Enter- 
ing the territory 
a short distance 
above the mouth 
of the Arkansas 
he traveled in a 
northwesterly direction, probably as far as 
the Ozarks in what is now Madison County, 
then southwest to 
the hot springs near 
the Ouachita. In 
1542 DeSoto de- 
scended the Missis- 
sippi River to the 
point where it re- 
ceives the Red, and 
here on the banks 
of the great river 
he died.i After 
DeSoto no white 
men visited this 
section for a period 
of one hundred and 
thirty years. In 
1673 Marquette 
and Joliet explored 
the lower Missis- 




From &n oM en^rmvlDg. 

Fig. 16. Hernando DeSoto the 

discoverer of the Mississippi 

and the first white man to 

visit the region now 

known as Arkansas. 




Fig. 15. A historical map showing the areas originally occupied 

by the Indians and the earliest explorations and 

settlements made in Arkansas. 



sippi Valley, and 
on their maps the 
Indians of this 
region were des- 
ignated as the 
Arkansas. A few 
years later (1682) 
L a S a 1 1 e , with 
Tonti, explored 
this region and 
took possession 
of the country 
for France. 

Louisiana re- 
mained under 
French rule until 
the close of the 
French and In- 
dian War (1763), 
when it was ceded to Spain. In 1800 Spain 
ceded the territory to France and in 1803 it 

was purchased by 
the United States. 
The District of 
Arkansas was es- 
tablished and a 
judge and com- 
mandant were 
appointed for the 
Post. In 1 81 8 Ar- 
kansas Territory 
was organized, and 
James Miller, a sol- 
dier of the War of 
181 2, was appoint- 
ed Governor. In 
1836 Arkansas was 
admitted as a state. 
Arkansas seceded 
from the Union in 



' This route and the statement as to DeSoto's death have 
long been accepted by many careful historians. They are based, it 
is claimed, on the original papers of "The Gentleman of Elvas" and 
those of DeBiedma. They do not agree, however, with later inter- 
pretations of these papers. Theodore H. Lewis, of the Mississippi 
Historical Society, has edited the original papers of '"The Gentle- 
man of Elvas" for "Spanish Explorers in the Southern United 
States", published in igo;. The editor's notes throw so much ad- 
ditional light upon the Expedition of DeSoto that in the above 



map we give, in addition to the usual iDute, one laid down in ac- 
cordance wi^h the results of his researc.i. In pages 227-233 of the 
work iust mentioned is recorded the arrival, illness, and death 
of DeSoto at the Indian town, Guachoya. Of this town Mr. Lewis 
says: "Guachoya u^as in the vicinity of Arkansas City, in Desha 
County, and possibly at or near the large mound one mile to the 
northward." On the other hand. "Publications of Arkansas His- 
torical Association" says (Vol. I., p. 128): "DeSoto died and was 
buried at Helena." 



lO 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 




Fig. 17. TJic value of farm products per square mile in Arkansas, 
census of I goo. 



When Arkansas entered the Union 
the thirty-five counties, into which it 
had been divided, contained a popula- 
tion of 47,700. 

Agriculture. Owing to the favorable 
climate and the great variety and fer- 
tility of its soils, Arkansas is preem- 
inently an agricultural state. (Figs. 19 
and 23.) Its location among the South- 
em States of the Mississippi Basin and 
its var\ang elevations — ranging from 
125 to 2,823 fs^t above sea level — favor 
a wide ^'ariety of products ; every crop 
known between the Great Lakes and 
the Gulf of Mexico may be grown here. 

Although a larger acreage is given 
over to corn, cotton in value is by far 
the most important crop (Fig. 18) 



1 86 1, and during the Civil War several impor- 
tant battles were fought within the border of 
the state. The principal engagements took 
place at Pea Ridge, Helena, Pine Bluff, and 
Prairie Grove. The state furnished about 
55,000 troops for the Confederate sen-ice. 

In 1868 ^Arkansas was re-admitted into 
the Union. The period from the close of 
the War Between the States to the adoption 
of the present constitution was known 
as the "Reconstruction." During the 
war with Spain (1S98), Arkansas showed 
her loyalty and devotion to the Union 
by promptly responding to the call for 
troops with a full quota of volunteers, 
furnishing two regiments of soldiers. 

Settlement. The first white settle- 
ment was made by Tonti and twenty- 
two Frenchmen, in 1686, at Arkansas 
Post. (Fig. 15.) In 1 718, encouraged 
by John Law, a number of Germans 
and negroes settled near the Post. No 
other settlements were made in this 
region for many years, and at the time 
of the Louisiana Purchase there were 
less than three hundred white people 
in the area now included in Arkansas. 



grown, and on several occasions Arkansas has 
won the premium over the world on both long 
and short staple cotton raised in the fertile 
lowlands of the south and southeast. The 
prairie lands in the central part of the state 
are now being utilized for the cultivation of 
rice. (Figs. 25, 26, and 27.) In the alluvial 
sections corn and sugar cane are grown. 
While fruit of the best quality is produced 




Jjess than 1 bate 
II ttolO bales 
S 10 to 35 bales 

35 to 50 bales 



Fig. iS. 



7 he production of cotton, per square mile in Arkansas, 
census of igoo. 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



II 




Fig. 19 



• of an Arkansas planter. 



in all parts of the state, the mountainous 
section of the northwest is especially adapted 
to the production of berries, peaches, and 
apples, and is sometimes called "The Land 
-of the Big Red Apple." 

In 1900, the total value of all farm crops 
(Fig. 17) in Arkansas was $56,803,000, and 
of this sum 828,053,000, or about one-half 
the total amount, was derived from the sale 
of cotton. At the same time the value of 
the orchard products was $1,250,000, and 
that of small fruits and grapes, $700,000. 

In 1906 more 
than 2,051,000 
acres were 
planted to cot- 
ton (Figs. 20 
and 21), and 
the yield of 
916,000 bales, 
valued at about 
$45 ,000,000, 
gave Arkansas 
sixth place 
among the cot- 
ton - producing 
states of the 
Union and fifth 
among those of 
the Southern 
Mississippi 
Basin group. 



The counties leading in importance are Jef- 
ferson, Lonoke, Crittenden, Lee, and Pulaski. 
Nearly one-half of the total acreage under 
crops is devoted to raisiitg corn (Fig. 22), 
chiefly for home consumption. The rich, 
deep soils of the bottom lands in the north- 
western part of the state and the alluvial 



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Fig. 20. Picking cotton in a field in Mississippi County. The deep alluvial 
soils of this county yield i,8oo pounds of cotton per acre. 



Fig. 21. Evening in the cotton field. Weigliing 
the day's pick. 

soils of the eastern low.ands yield large crops 
of this important cereal. Washington, Ben- 
ton, Independence, Madison, and Randolph, 
in the order named, are the most important 

corn-producing 
counties. 

Arkansas 
stands twelfth 
among the 
states of the 
Union in the 
production of 
corn. In 1906 
a total area of 
2,237,000 acres 
was devoted 
to this cereal. 
About 52,800,- 
200 bushels, or 
an average of 
15,107 bushels 
of corn per 
square mile, 
were raised. 



12 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 




Fig. 22. A juiti <>/ c. ') « in Franklin County 

The com crop of that year reached a valua- 
tion of very nearly $25,000,000. 





JO 


.'o 30 40 JO 60 70 So Qo 100 


yta ccnif-ations 

Agriculture 

Domestic and 

persojial service ^ _ 










7 1 anspor/atioM 
and trade^ „ 


— i 




Matiu/aclures 


.. 1 




Fyofessional 

service 

Mining 


■ 1 


Fig. 23. Proportion of persons 
engaged in each class of occu- 
pations in Arkansas, 


J'isl.ing 


! 


census of igoo. 



In the upland regions, where there is a 
good clay subsoil, wheat (Fig 52), oats (Fig. 
24), barley, and rye are grown successfully. 
The Arkansas wheat crop in 1906 was valued 
at $1,436,400 and her oats crop at $1,539,- 
000. Each year sees an astonishing increase 
in the area devoted to rice. In 1906 the rice 
acreage was ten times as great as in the 
preceding year while the yield of this grain 
advanced from 11,340 to 113,490 bushels. 

Grasses and forage crops are grown in 
almost all parts of the state. The valleys 
of the Red, White, and Mississippi rivers are 
admirably suited to the growth of alfalfa, or 



lucerne, and there is a large 
yield of these valuable forage 
crops in Mississippi, Independ- 
ence, and Hempstead counties. 
Sorghum is also widely grown as 
a forage crop and, to a limited 
ixtcnt, Kaffir corn which belongs 
til the sorghum family of grasses. 
Large quantities of wild hay are 
ilso harvested, especially in 
Arkansas, Lonoke, and Prairie 
counties. 

Horticulture. In Arkansas 
every variety of temperate- 
climate fruit (Fig. 29) thrives 
and yields abundantly. Apples 
(Fig. 28) are produced in in- 
creasing quantities in all the mountainous 
and upland sections of the state. In 1900 
there were about seven and a half million 
apple trees in the state; since then wide areas 
have been planted to this fruit and the num- 
ber is far larger. Washington and Benton 
counties are credited with the largest yield. 
Climate, sail, and drainage all favor the 
growth of the peach, and commercial peach 
orchards are now found in many localities. 
Large shipments of peaches of superior qual- 
ity are sent to the great markets of the 
country, the Arkansas peach now rivaling in 
perfection the widely-known Arkansas apple. 
With the increased production of peaches 




Fig. 24. Threshing oats on a great grain farm. 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



13 



flourishing canning factories have been estab- 
lished where large quantities of the fruit are 
canned and preserved for home consumption 
and for shipment. 

While pears, plums, and grapes are grown 
in lesser quantities for shipment, the culti- 
vation of the strawberry as a commercial 
product has reached large proportions. In 
1900 no less than 12,667,740 quarts of straw- 
berries (Fig. 30) were harvested. 

The watermelon (Fig. 51) and the canta- 
loupe thrive and yield abundantly in many 
sections. Because of its superiority the 
Arkansas watermelon has won a prominent 
place in the markets of the country, and has 





Fig. 25. Threshing rice in Lonoke County- TJic fertile prairie land. 

of this county yield from forty to seventy-five bushels 

of rice per acre. 

become a leading and profitable crop in the 
state and one that is constantly increasing 
in acreage. 

Live Stock. The mild climate, vast 
stretches of corn and pasture lands, and 
many fine pure springs and running streams 
of water all favor the live-stock industry. 
In recent years much attention has been 
given to the breeding of cattle, horses, sheep 
(Fig. 31), and hogs. First-class saddle and 
driving horses are bred in many sections and 
good draft horses are displacing oxen in lum- 
bering regions. 

Cattle thrive in every part of the state 
and fine herds of the best breeds arc now 



Fig. 26. Irrigating a rice field. Wells sunk to depths 

of from TOO to i io feet afford an ine.xliaiistible 

supply of water for irrigating the crop. 

to be seen in many localities. Cattle raising 
is one of the chief industries in Prairie and 
also in Conway County and is 
receiving increasing attention in 
many other counties. Near the 
larger cities where cotton -seed oil 
mills are located, large numbers of 
cattle are fattened (Fig. 37) annu- 
ally on the cotton-seed meal and 
hulls. 

Hogs have always been of im.por- 
tance in Arkansas because the food 
furnished by the great forests of 
mast-bearing trees, and the mild 
climate which permitted the stock 
to live on the ranges, made it pos- 
sible to raise them cheaply. Much 
has been done to improve the stock and 
Arkansas now raises large numbers of hogs 
(Fig. T,;^) that compare favorably with the 




Fig. 27. Harvesting the crop of an Arkansas rice field. 



14 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



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1 






1 



Fig. 28. An Arkansas apple orchard. 
standard stock of great hog-raising states like 
Kansas and Iowa. 
Natural condi- 
tions encourage 
the raising of poul- 
try (Fig. 32) and 
each year marks a 
steady gain in this 
industry. In 1900 
there were in Ar- 
kansas more than 
5,000,000 chickens, 
370,000 geese, 180,- 
000 ducks, and 1 40,- 
000 turkeys while 
the production of 
eggs reached 25,- 
500,000 dozens. In 
the same year bees 




Fig. 2q. Tlic vahtc of jritit products per square mile. 



season permits the raising of two crops of veg- 
etables from the same land. Irish potatoes 
are grown extensively in the vallej^s of the 
Arkansas, White, and Ouachita. The value 
of the crop in 1906 exceeded $1,116,000. 
Sebastian County leads all others in produc- 
tion of ]3otatoes, marketing each year more 
than a quarter of a million bushels. The 
sweet potato flourishes everywhere and is 
planted on every farm and in every garden. 
Jefferson County with a crop of nearly 55,000 
bushels has the largest yield. In the plateau 
sections of the state increasing areas are de- 
voted to onions and cabbage, both of which 
are exceedingly profitable crops. 

The sandy soils 
of the state offer 
ideal conditions for 
the growth of the 
peanut, which may 
be classed among 
the minor crops and 
steadily grows in 
favor. It affords 
excellent food for 
hogs. The pecan, 
black walnut, fil- 
bert, and hazelnut 
flourish and yield 
large quantities of 
nuts. English wal- 
nuts are grown in 
some localities. 



were kept on 178,600 farms and nearly 
1,500,000 pounds of 'honey were pro- 
duced. 

Vegetables and Nuts. Mild winters 
and quick-producing soils make it 
possible to market vegetables early in 
the season. For this reason wherever 
transportation facilities connect locali- 
ties with great trade centers vegetables 
are a profitable crop, and market gar- 
dening is becoming a leading industry. 
In many localities the long growing 




Fig. 30, Picking strauinrrics near Austin, Lonoke County. 

Fruits are ^rown e.ytensively in this county and 

large shipments made each year. 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 




Fig. 31. Scene on a fine farm in Prairie County near Hazen 
raising has become a leading industry of this county. 

Manufacturing. While farming has ahvays 
been the chief occupation of the people, in 
recent years much has been done toward the 
development of 
manufacturing 
(Fig. 40), because 
of the favoring 
natural conditions. 
Railroads are grad- 
ually being extend- 
ed to reach every 
section and in pro- 
portion to its area 
no state in the 
Union has more 
navigable water 
ways, while coal in 
abundance is found 
within its borders. 



Stoca 




Fig. 32, .4 poultry farm near Fayetteville, Washington County. 



Many varieties of hard woods exist in 
various parts of the state, and fine cotton is 
grown in large quantities. Therefore, with 
good shipping facilities and abundant fuel 
and raw material near at hand, Arkansas 
offers a wide and inviting field for the manu- 
facture of wooden ware of all kinds and of 
cotton fabrics. Cotton factories have been 
established at Mammoth Spring, Arkadel- 
phia, Monticello, and several other points in 
the state and a large and flourishing factory 
for the making of wooden ware is in opera- 
tion at Helena. At Fort Smith furniture 
and wagons are manufactured extensively. 



In 1900, Arkansas had about 
5,000 manufacturing establish- 
ments, with a combined capital 
of $36,000,000. In the same 
year the value of the output 
of these plants was about 
$45,000,000, while the wages 
paid to the employees amounted 
to $2,500,000 per year. 

Arkansas ranks third among 
the states in the ginning of cot- 
ton. (Figs. 36 and 38.) With 
the exception of the lumber industry and the 
ginning of cotton, manufacturing is almost 
wholly confined to the five principal cities 

of the state. 

By far the most 
important manu- 
facturing industry 
in Arkansas is the 
turning out of 
lumber (Figs. 35 
and 42 ) and tim- 
ber products. The 
saw and lumber 
mills of the state 
represent a total 
investment of 
821,000,000 and 
give employment 
to 16,000 men, the 
value of the timber products (Fig. 34) reach- 
ing annually not less than $25,000,000. 




Fig- 33- 



Arkansas Chester U'liiti h: 
near Hot Springs. 



1 6 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 




Fig. 34. The value of lumber and timber products per square mile 



The stand of pine 
in Arkansas is es- 
timated to be more 
than forty-one bil- 
hon feet, of which 
four bilHon feet are 
owned by lumber- 
men, and in the 
yellow pine section 
are located some 
of the largest saw- 
mills in the world. 
In the alluvial 
sections are found 
large areas covered 
with cypress which 
is being manufac- 
tured into shingles 
and lumber Arkansas timber lands of all 
varieties are rapidly advancing in value, due 
to the depletion of the forests in the older 
states and to the constantly increasing 
demand for lumber of every sort. There are 
fifty establishments engaged in the manufac- 
ture oj sash, doors, blinds, and similar pro- 
ducts. (Fig. 39.) These industrial plants em- 
ploy large numbers of wage earners and yearly 
turn out prod- 
u c t s worth 
very nearly 
$3,000,000. 

Second in im- 
portance to the 
lumber i n- 
dustry stands 
flour and grist 
milling. In 
recent years 
many factories 
for the manu- 
facture "of cot- 
ton-seed oil and 
meal have been 
opened in Ar- 
kansas. The 




Fig. 35. 



A great lumber yard at Fort Smith. This 
manufacturing centers of the stale. 



annual product of 
these mills is esti- 
mated to be worth 
more than $3,000,- 
000, and they fur- 
nish employment 
to large numbers of 
wage earners. Af- 
ter the removal of 
the fiber, the cotton 
seed is subjected 
to pressure and 
yields a large 
amount of yellow 
oil closely resem- 
bling olive oil, 
for which it is fre- 
quently used as a 
substitute. Cotton-seed oil is also used as a 
substitute for butter and lard and in many 
other ways. After the extraction of the oil, 
the residue, called cotton-cake or meal, is 
used as food for cattle and as a fertilizer. 
In most mills the hulls are removed before 
the oil is expressed, and these are made into 
bales and sold as food for cattle. (Fig. 37.) 
Arkansas has twenty- one shops for the 

building of 
cars and for 
general shop 
construction 
and railroad 
repairs. These 
shops give 
employment 
to large num- 
licrs of men 
and have an 
annual pay roll 
of more than a 
million dollars. 
Large quan- 
titie sof mussel 
and clam shells 
have been ob- 



oiie of the chief 



THE GE0(;RAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



17 




'u'li' oj a coiion giii. Hoc tlic pbcr is .sepa- 
rated jroin tite seed and cleaned. 

tained in the waters of the Black and White 
rivers and in Dorcheat and other lakes in 
Arkansas. At Devall Bluff (Fig. 41), 
Black Rock, and at other points along 
these rivers, establishments have sprung 
up for the manufacture of pearl but- 
tons from the shells. Pottery is manu- 
factured in Saline County. 

Mineral Resources and Mining. Ex- 
tensive deposits of coal, ranging in 
equality from lignite to semi-anthracite, 
exist in Arkansas and the production ol 
coal is by far the most important min- 
ing industry in the state. The deposits 
are widely distributed, the coal fields 
(Fig. 44 j extending over an area of 
more than 2,000 square miles. Mines (Fig. 
43) are in operation in Logan, Sebastian, 





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1 


i 




'^M 




1 


1 




^QI^MBIk ■-'■ ^^^^^H^^l 



Fig. 38. Scene in a cotton compress ivlicre the 
cotton is being pressed into bales. 



Franklin, Johnson, Scott, and Pope coun- 
ties, and an excellent brown lignite has re- 
cently been obtained in the western part of 
Clark County. In 1906 the output of the 
coal mines reached 1,875,000 tons, and of 
this amount 1,096,159 tons were mined in 
Sebastian County. 

Zinc (Fig. 45) and lead are widely dis- 
tributed in Baxter, Boone, Newton, Marion, 
and other counties. Arkansas zinc, because 
of the purity of the ore, won the premium at 
the World's Fair in 1903. Zinc is being 
mined in considerable quantities. Natural 
gas is found in abundance in the region 




Fig. 37. 



Scene at an oil mill. The cattle arc being fattened, on 
the cotton-seed hulls jroni the null. 

around Fort Smith and is utilized largely in 
manufacturing industries and for heating 
and lighting purposes. 

Manganese has been successfully mined in 
Independence and Izard counties and exists 
in Pulaski, Montgomery, and Polk counties. 

Iron is found in many parts of the state, 
but the ores are of low grade, and because 
of this, and the distance of the manes from 
manufacturing centers, iron cannot be mined 
with profit. The most important deposits 
are in Randolph, Sharp, Fulton, and Law- 
rence counties. 

Valuable deposits of antimony are found in 
Sevier and Howard counties. It is a brittle, 
silver-white metal used in alloys, in medicine, 
and in the arts. 



i8 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 




Ftg. 39. A stave factory at Paragould. 

Novaculite suitable for whetstones and 
hones of the best quahty is obtained in Gar- 
land and adjoining counties. The fine grain 
and great hardness of the novaculite known 
as "Arkansas Stone" renders it particularly 
valuable to engravers, jewelers, and dentists. 



JQCO- 

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10 


■'S 


20 


25 


3" 


35 


JO 45 












1 








J 


: 









Fig. 40. Growth of rnanufacturing indus- 
tries in Arkansas in millions 
of dollars. 



Silver has been found, in small quantities, 
in Sevier, Montgomery, and Pulaski counties. 
The pearl fisheries of the Black and White 
rivers and of several lakes yield pearls of fine 




Fig. 41. A button factory at Devall Bluff. Observe the 

huge pile of shells in the foreground out of 

winch buttons have been cut. 



quality, and recently diamonds have been 
discovered in Pike County. 

Bauxite (Fig. 47), the principal source of 
aluminium, is found in large quantities in 
Saline and Pulaski counties, and asphalt 
mines are in successful operation in Pike 
County. 

Among Arkansas mineral resources build- 
ing stones are especially important. The 




Fig. 42. Rafting logs down Black River to the mills. 

state contains immense deposits of the finest 
granite. Blue and gray granite of superior 
quality, quarried in Pulaski County (Fig. 48), 
has been used in the construction of many 
prominent buildings. In our state the mar- 
ble beds embrace an area of about 2,500 
square miles. These beds lie in the Upper 
White River Valley in a region bounded on 
the south by the Boston Mountains and on 
the east by the flood plains of the Black River. 
The area in which marble occurs includes 
Marion, Boone, Benton, and parts of Wash- 
ington, Newton, Searcy, Stone, Izard, and 
Baxter counties. In 1836 a block of marble 
weighing several tons was taken from Marble 
City, Newton County, to be used in the 
Washington Monument. This is supposed to 
be one of the first pieces of marble shipped 
out of the state. There has been a steady 
development of the marble industry, al- 
though as yet the product is used chiefly 
for local building purposes. 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



19 




Fig. 43. Scene at a coal mine in Hartford, Sebastian 
County. A large quantity of coal is mined here. 

Limestone of superior quality is found in 
Independence County. It is known as the 
Batesville Stone, and is, periiaps, the best 
limestone for building purposes in the state. 
Limestone from these quarries was used in 
the construction of the new State Capitol. 
Limestone, not susceptible of a fine polish, 
is found in many other localities and is com- 
monly used in the construction of founda- 
tions, walls, abutments, piers, sidewalks, 
curbings, sewer caps, and stone trimmings. 
It is not suitable for street paving as it will 
not stand the wear of heavy vehicles, but it 
has been used with 
great success as a 
foundation for 
macadam roads. 
Many of the cul- 
verts and bridge 
piers in the state 
are built of Arkan- 
sas limestone. 

Slate, of various 
colors and quali- 
ties, is found in 
large quantities in 
Polk County. 

Lime is produced 
by burning lime- 
stone or marble in 



furnaces or kilns. The manufacture of lime 
is developing steadily in Arkansas and, with 
its abundance of excellent limestone (Fig. 
46), the Upper White River Valley should be 
able to supply the entire southern section of 
our country with lime. Lime kilns have 
been operated successfully in Independence, 
Sharp, Boone, Carroll, Benton, and Washing- 





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S'A 




^pii 


*;>SiS* 








Fig. 44. The location of the leading minerals of Arkansas. 



Fig. 45. A flonrishing zinc mine in Boone County. 
This lies in the center of the great zinc district. 

ton counties, and lime has also been manu- 
factured in Pulaski, Garland, and Sevier 
counties. 

Chalk is a soft white rock, consisting almost 
entirely of carbonate of lime in a slightly con- 

solidated state. 
The school cray- 
on, ordinarily 
known as chalk, is 
usually made of 
plaster of Paris and 
should not be con- 
fused with true 
chalk. Extensive 
beds of chalk are 
found in Little 
River County, and 
an area of about 
900 acres is ex- 
posed in the neigh- 
borhood of Rocky 
Comfort. This 



20 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 




Fig. 46. A ledge of St. Joe limestone. Limestones for 

building, and for the maintfacture of lime are 

widely distributed in Arkansas. 

chalk bed is about 500 feet in thickness and 
is highly valuable. It is the only limestone 
of its kind and quality in the United States, 
and in composition resembles closely the 
chalk of England which has so long been 
used in the manufacture of the famous Port- 
land cement. (Fig. 69.) At White Cliffs, in 
this county, a IdIuA: of pure white chalk more 
than 100 feet in height is exposed along the 
edge of Red River. (Fig. 49.) This is a rem- 
nant of one of the most beautiful chalk for- 
mations in North America. Inasmuch as 
lime is absolutely necessary to the devel- 
opment of all 
plants, chalk 
is extremely 
valuable as a 
means of ren- 
dering the soil 
more fertile 
and productive. 
Large areas are 
underlaid with 
fire, brick, and 
pottery clays 
and there are 
extensive de- 
posits of white 
soapstone and 
fuller's earth. 



Mineral Springs. Mineral waters exist in 
more than half of the counties of Arkansas. 
Their waters are often used for medicinal 
purposes and hence numerous health resorts 
have developed in the state. While most of 
these springs contain minerals that are help- 





FiG. 48. Scene at a, granite aitarry in Pulaski County, 

near Little Rock. Inexhaustible quaiUitics of 

granite lie all about this city. 

ful in the treatment of various diseases, the 
waters of some are harmful. Such a spring 
is found on the Dry Fork of King Ri\-er in 
Carroll County, and is locally known as 
Poison Spring, because people and animals 
that drink of its waters are made ill. 

Suljihur wa- 
ters are found 
in Benton, Cle- 
burne, Dallas, 
Drew, Garland, 
Howard, Mont- 
gomery, Stone, 
Newton, Yell, 
a n d \Y h i t e 
counties; alum 
waters in Hot 
Springs, Drew, 
and Scott coun- 
ties, and cha- 
lybeate waters 
in Cleburne and 
ilontgomery 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



21 



counties, while lithia 
springs of some note 
are found in Baxter 
and Hempstead coun- 
ties. 

Eureka Springs, 
Carroll County, situ- 
ated in a mountain- 
ous section of great 
scenic beauty, are the 
best known springs 
of north Arkansas. 
Around these springs 
has grown up one of 
the most popular and 
attractive health and 
pleasure resorts in the 
state. Thousands of 
health-seekers from 
all parts of the United 
States visit this place 
annually. For a few hours after heavy rains 
the fiow increases slightly and the waters 
contain sediment, but at all other times these 
waters are noted for their purity and clear- 
ness. The waters of Hot Springs (Fig. 64), 
Garland County, have long been widely and 
favorably known. The Aborigines were well 
acquainted with their wonderful curative 
properties and 
these springs, 
it is said, were 
the fabled 
"Fountain of 
Youth" sought 
by Ponce de 
Leon. It has 
been estimated 
that they num- 
ber from fifty 
to s e ^' e n t y. 
The waters are 
pure, colorless, 
tasteless, and 
without odor. 




Fig. 4g. .4 citalk bluff at White t'liffs Laiidins^. A'car b) 

these deposits ^reat works Itave been built for the 

tnanufaeture of Portland ecnient. 




FlG.^O 



and the presence of 
free carbonic acid 
causes them to sparkle 
and also makes them 
jilcasant to drink. 
They are, however, 
used chiefly for bath- 
ing purposes. The 
average temperature 
of the waters is about 
142 degrees Fahren- 
heit. This \'ery high 
temperature has been 
attributed to several 
causes but, according 
to the eminent geol- 
ogist. Dr. John C. 
Branner, is mostly due 
to the waters coming 
in contact with masses 
of hot rocks, the cool, 
edges of which may or may not be exposed 
at the surface. The United States Govern- 
ment has reserved the land surrounding the 
principal springs, and a large army and navy 
hospital is located near by. Thousands of 
people annually visit the Hot Springs for the 
benefit derived from the waters. It is also a 
popular winter resort for large numbers of \-is- 

itors because 
(if its delight- 
ful climate and 
its superior 
liotel accom- 
modations. 

In Garland 
County about 
s c ^• e n miles 
southeast of 
the city of Hot 
Springs are the 
Potash Sul- 
phur Springs. 
Picturesque 
scenery, cura- 



vie'ci' of Siloam Springs. Otic of the most picturesque 
localities in the Ozark Plateau. 



22 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



ii 




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I-'iii ,1 .1 traiti i<f i-n,s hriiii; l-aJ.-.l ..■it!: ZLialcrincIoiis 
from Greene Counly. 

tive waters, and excellent accommodations 
have made this point a popular resort alike 
for pleasure or health seekers. The water 
is used chiefly for drinking purposes, and 
much of it is bottled and shipped to all parts 
of the country for medicinal uses. 

Transportation. In early days the Missis- 
sipjji and Arkansas rivers were the chief 
highways of travel and trade. While the 
railroads, which have been so large a factor 
in the development of the state, now afford 
a much more efficient means of transporta- 
tion, river traffic (Fig. 52) is still important. 

The first railroad in the state was built 
in 1856. This road, known as the Little 
Rock & Memphis, now forms a part of the 
Choctaw, Oklahoma & Gulf division of the 
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway. 
It extended from Memphis to Madison and 
from Devall Bluff to Little Rock. Passen- 
gers were transferred across the unfinished 
gap from Devall Bluff to Madison either by 
stage or by boat down the White River (Fig. 8) 
and up the Mississippi. In 1872 the St. Louis, 
Iron Mountain &- Southern road was com- 
pleted from St. Louis to Little Rock, and in 
1874 was extended to Texarkana. This road 
and the Memphis & Little Rock Railroad 
were aided by land grants amounting to more 
than 2,600,000 acres of land. 



In recent years railroad building has made 
rapid progress, and there are now more than 
4,500 miles of road in operation in the state, 
an average of about 8.4 miles of railroad for 
every 100 square miles of area. 

The leading railroads of the state are the 
St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern, the 
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, and the St. 
Louis Southwestern. These three roads 
together have nearly 2,700 miles of track, 
or almost three-fifths of the total railroad 
m_ileage of the state. 

The State Government. The state of 
Arkansas is divided into seventy-five coun- 
ties, each of which is again divided into 
political townships. The township officers 
are justices of the peace and a constable. 
The county officers are judge, sheriff, clerk, 
treasurer, coroner, assessor, and surveyor. 
The state officers are Governor, Secretary of 
State, Attorney-general, Treasurer, Auditor, 
Superintendent of Public Instruction, Land 
Commissioner, and Commissioner of Mines, 
Manufactures, and Agriculture. Township, 
county, and state officers are elected by the 
people biennially. 

The present constitution was adopted in 
1874. To amend it requires a two-thirds 
vote in each House and a majority of the 
votes cast at the general election following 
the session of the legislature which passed 
the resolution submitting the amendment. 




Fig. 52. Arkansas wheat on a Mississippi River boat 
on its way to the Gulf. 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



The legislature consists of a Senate of 
thirty-five members, elected for four j^ears, 
about one-half of them being elected every 
two years, and a Hoitse of Representatives of 
one hundred members, elected for two years. 
The sessions begin at the Capitol (Fig. 58) 
in Little Rock the second Monday in Januar}^ 
of odd-numbered years. 

The Governor is the chief executive officer 
of the state and is Commander of the State 
Militia. The chief duty of the Governor is 
to see that the laws of the state are enforced. 
He is a member of the Penitentiary Board, 
the Board of Trustees of the State University, 
and the Board of 
Railway Assessors. 
He has the yjower 
to veto all legisla- 
tive bills, to grant 
pardons, and to fill 
by appointment 
vacancies in state 
and county offices. 

The Secretary of 
State keeps a rec- 
ord of the official 
Acts of the Gov- 
ernor and prepares 
for publication the 
Acts of the legisla- 
ture. He is also 
Custodian of the '''°- 5.^- 

State House and grounds, and Librarian for 
the state. 

The Auditor is the general accountant for 
the state, and keeps all books, vouchers, and 
papers relating to the contracts of the state. 

The Treasurer receives and keeps all 
moneys of the state, and disburses the same 
on warrants drawn upon the Treasurer by 
the Auditor. 

The Attorney-general defends the interests 
of the state in matters before the Supreme 
Court, and it is also his duty to give his 
opinion on legal miatters when called upon 




The Congressional 



to do so by any of the various officers of the 
state or by the legislature. 

The Land Commissioner has control over 
the state lands and disposes of them according 
to law. 

The Superintendent of Public Instruction 
has charge of all business relating to the free 
common schools. 

The Commissioner of Mines, Manufac- 
tures, and Agriculture collects and sends out 
information concerning the development of 
mining industries, the encouragement of 
manufacturing enterprises, and the best 
methods for the cultivation of Arkansas soils. 

The j u d i c i a 1 
department of the 
state ■ includes the 
Supreme Court, 
Circuit courts, 
Chancery judges, 
County and Pro- 
bate courts, and 
Township justice 
courts. 

The Supreme 
Court of Arkansas 
consists of a Chief 
Justice and four 
Associate justices. 
These judges are 
elected for a term 

distnctsof Arkansas, ,907- ^f gjg^^ ^.^^^S. 

The state is divided into seventeen judicial 
districts, in each of which a Circuit Judge 
and a Prosecuting Attorney are elected. The 
term of the Circuit Judge is four years; the 
term of the Prosecuting Attorney is two years. 
There are eleven Chancery districts in the 
state, in each of which a chancellor is elected 
for a term of four years. All suits in equity 
and divorce suits are tried in the Chancery 
courts. Minor offences or misdemeanors are 
tried before jvistices of the peace in the justice 
courts. 

The law-making power in cities and incor- 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



porated towns is 
vested in the Coun- 
cil, composed of the 
Mayor and Alder- 
men. In cities of 
the first class (those 
having 5,000 or 
more inhabitants) 
police judges pre- 
side over the city 
courts, in cities of 
the second class 
(those with a popu- 
lation of 2,500) and 
other incorporated 
places, Ma,yors serve 
as judges. 

Arkansas has two 




The leading educational institutions of Arkansas. 



gressional district, 
appointed by the 
Governor of the 
state. This board 
has entire control of 
the following state 
institutions: The 
Deaf-Mute Insti- 
tute, the Arkansas 
School for the 
Blind, and the Ar- 
kansas -Hospital for 
Nervous Diseases. 
Persons admitted 
to these institutions 
are cared for wholly 
at the expense of 
the state. 



Senators and seven Representatives in the 
National Congress, (Fig. 53.) 

State Charities and Penal Institutions. 
The State Penitentiary is located at Little 
Rock, but most of the convicts are employed 
upon a state farm on the Arkansas River 
about thirty miles below Little Rock. The 
Legislature of 1904 made provision for a 
Reform School for Juvenile Offenders. This 
school has been established at Little Rock. 

Arkansas has made generous provision for 
her unfortunate. All of the state charities 
are located in the city of Little Rock and are 
under the control of a board composed of the 
State Treasurer, who is ex-officio chairman, 
and seven other members, one from each con- 



A home for disabled Confederate soldiers 
under state control is located at Sweet Home, 
six miles from the citv of Little Rock. It is 
managed by a board of five persons appointed 
by the Governor. 

Education. Liberal provision was made 
for public education when Arkansas became 
a state, but the public school system was not 
well organized until after the Civil War. The 
Constitutional Convention of 1874 provided 
for a state tax of not more than two mills 
and a district tax and adopted the following 
declaration with reference to free education: 

'Tntelligence ;md virtue being the safe- 
guards of liberty and government, the state 
shall ever maintain a general, suitable, and 



THE LEADING EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF ARKANSAS 



COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES 

1 Henderson College, Methodist Episcopal, South. Arkadelphia. 

2 Ouachita Baptist College, Baptist, Arkadelphia. 

3 Arkansas College, Presbyterian, Batesville. 

4 Arkansas Cumberland College, Presbyterian, Clarksville. 

5 Central College, Baptist, Conway. 

6 Hendrix College, Methodist Episcopal, South, Conway. 

7 University of Arkansas. State, Fayetteville. 

8 Arkansas Baptist College, Baptist. Little Rock. 

9 Maddox Seminary, Non-sectarian, Little Rock. 

10 Philander Smith College, Methodist Episcopal, Little Rock. 

11 Galloway Female College. Non-sectarian, Searcy. 



12 Searcy Female Institute, Non-sectarian, Searcy. 

13 Arkansas Conference College. Methodist Episcopal, Siloam 

Springs. 

PUBLIC NORMAL SCHOOLS 

14 State Normal School, Conway. 

15 Normal Department, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. 

16 Branch Normal College, Pine Bluff. 

PRIVATE NORMAL AND TRAINING SCHOOLS 

17 Clary Training School, Fordyce. 

iS Pea Ridge Masonic College, Pea Ridge. 

19 Pine Bluff Presbyterian Training School, Warren 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



25 



efficient system of free schools open to all 
persons in the state between the ages of six 
and twenty-one years." There is a state tax 
of three and a local tax of seven mills for 
school purposes, and in addition a permanent 
school fund of over a million dollars invested 
in state bonds, bearing 3 per cent per annum. 
The educational system of the state is 
organized under a State Superintendent of 
Public Instruction, County Examiners, and 
boards of directors for each school district. 
There were, in 1907, 533,843 children of school 



/900 

iSqo 

iSSo-. 
iSjo-- 

iSbo^ _ 

iSjo^ _ 
1S30 _ ^ 

age; 



Fig. 55. The population in hun- 
dreds of thousands and the density 
of population per square mile 
at each Federal census. 



of these 340,185 were enrolled in the 
schools, in charge of 8,1 13 teachers. 

The University of Arkansas (Fig. 61), sit- 
uated in Fayetteville, was organized in 1872. 
It is also the Agricultural and Mechanical 
College of the state, established under the 
grant of public lands made by Congress in 
1862 for this purpose. The literary, scien- 
tific, and engineering departments are located 
at Fayetteville and have an enrollment of 
about 1,200 students, with nearly sixty pro- 
fessors and instructors. There are fourteen 
buildings upon the campus and the experi- 
ment station and farm adjoin the University 
grounds. The ]\Iedica-l School and the Law 
School, departments of the University of 
Arkansas, are located at Little Rock, and 
the Branch Normal College at Pine Bluff 
is maintained for the education of colored 
youth. The total enrollment of all the 
branches of the University is about 1,700. 

The Arkansas Normal School was estab- 
lished at Conway in 1908, for the education of 



teachers for the public schools. There is also 
a Department of Pedagogy in the State 
University. In addition to the state schools 
there are many excellent denominational 
institutions for higher education, and private 
schools and academies of high grade. (Fig. 54.) 

Throughout the state separate schools are 
provided for white children and for negroes. 
In most large towns and in all cities ex- 
cellent public high schools are maintained. 

Population and Rank. In 1900 Arkansas 
had 1,311,000 inhabitants. With this pop- 
ulation it ranked twenty-fifth among the 
states, varying but little in its position since 
1820 when it stood twenty-sixth. South 
Carolina with 1,340,316 and Louisiana with 
1,381,625 people stood just ahead of it. The 
density of population was 24.7 per square 
mile (Fig. 55), which was a little more than 
that of Maine, and a little less than that of 
the country as a whole. There are less than 



Per cent 

Total fopnlation 

iWitivf to slate 

Tennessee 

Mississiffi . 

Missouri 

Alabama 

Georgia _ _ 

Illinois 

Kentncky 

Korth Carolina 

All other states 



Fig. 56. The state of birth of the 

native-horn population and the 

percentage of persons from 

each specified state living 

in Arkansas, Federal 

census of igoo. 

15,000 foreign-born inhabitants in Arkansas, 
more than 98 per cent of the people being 
native bom and nearly two-thirds of these 
native to the state. (Fig. 56.) In the dis- 
tribution of the rural and urban population 
the state is also in marked contrast with the 
country as a whole, for the population of the 
countrv and of the farms continues to in- 
crease more rapidly than that of the cities 
and towns. In 1900 there were only eight 
incorporated places in the state with more 
than 4,000 inhabitants. (Fig. 57.) 



26 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



//. THE GROWTH AND DEVELOP- 
MENT OF CITIES AND TOWNS. 

Little Rock and Towns of the Upper Arkansas 
Valley. Large areas of the most fertile fruit 
and farming lands in the state and the richest 
coal fields west of the Mississippi lie in the valley 
of the Arkansas. With the development of 
these great natural resources it followed that 
all up and down the 




Fig. 



The distribution of 
census 



valley towns sprung 
up and grew and 
flourished as trade 
centers. 

Little Rock, our 
capital and greatest 
city, lies nearly in 
the center of the val- 
ley, as it does in the 
center of the state. 
Standing on a rug- 
ged bluff overlook- 
ing the river fifty 
feet below, the city 
has a commanding 
position. It now 
covers an area of 
about twelve square 
miles (Fig. 59), is 
well and handsomely built, and within the 
business district are found many substantial 
structures and attractive stores, while in everv 
direction extend miles of well-paved streets and 
concrete sidewalks. Little Rock is the com- 
mercial and manu- 

facturing center of 
the state. Eight 
railroads enter the 
city and these, with 
numerous steam- 
boats that ply upon 
the river, afford ex- 
cellent transporta- 
tion facilities for a 
large and growing 
trade in cotton, 
other farm prod- 
ucts, and manufac- 
tured goods. Among 



the flourishing industrial plants of the city are 
included some of the largest cotton compresses 
in the country and extensive manufactories for 
cotton goods, furniture, lumber, wagons, and 
iron wares. Little Rock is the seat of a num- 
ber of state institutions. The State Capitol 
(Fig. 58), which has a striking situation on an 
elevated plateau, is a magnificent building. The 
city has a fine system of public schools, and is a 

prominent edu- 
cational center. 
Among the leading 
private schools 
found here are the 
Arkansas Military 
Academv and Mad- 
dox Seminary. With 
an unrivaled loca- 
tion, handsome 
homes surrounded 
by beautiful, well- 
kept grounds, and 
with excellent street 
railway service, 
splendid schools, and 
attractive parks and 
drives. Little Rock 
is a delightful resi- 
dential city. It is 



Populatioa 

,000 
38,000 



J$,aao and fTier 



^?The relative elie of Incorpormteil 
^ cities BDd TillageB Ib ihomi bj 
_J the sIm of 



urban population in Arkansas, 
of igoo. 




somewhat widely known as the "City of Roses", 

because of the profusion in which this flower is 

found in all parts of the city. 

On the north side of the river and directly 

opposite Little Rock is the progressive town of 

Argciita, which has 
made an astonish- 
ing growth in recent 
years. Here are 
large railroad shops 
employing many 
men. Just outside 
the city, on the 
famous "Big Rock," 
is Fort Logan H. 
Roots, where a 
garrison of United 
States soldiers is 
stationed. North- 
west of Argenta, 



Capitol at Little Rock. 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



THE CITY 

OF 

LITTLE ROCK 

AND VICINITY 




Fig. 5q. ,4 map of Little Rock. 



and thirty miles from Little Rock, is Coiiifay, 
a growing railroad town with a large trade in 
cotton and other farm products; it has good 
graded, and excellent private schools. Farther 
up the valley, about fifty miles from Little Rock, 
is Morrilltoii, the county seat of Conway County, 
with a cotton-seed oil mill and a woolen factory; 
its location gives it a large trade from both sides 
of the river, and it is one of the most important 
cotton markets in the state. 

Still farther up the valley, on opposite sides of 
the river, are Rnsscllvillc and DaniaiicUc. 
Russellville, near the north bank of the stream, 
lies in a fertile farming section underlaid with 
coal, and has a large and growing trade in cotton, 
small fruits, and coal. Dardanelle, Yell Countv, 



on the south shore of the Arkansas and four 
miles south of Russellville, is the trade center 
for a district that yields large crops of cotton 
and cereals. The Arkansas River is crossed at 
this point by the only pontoon bridge in the 
state. Six miles west of Dardanelle is Mount 
Ncbo, a delightful health resort, and fourteen 
miles southwest is Danville, the county seat of 
the southern, as Dardanelle is of the northern 
division of Yell County. North of the river in 
the county of Johnson is Clarksvillc, the thriv- 
ing countv seat of that countv, where are cotton 
gins, saw and flouring mills, a canning factory, 
and foundry and machine shops; it is a rail- 
way town and ships increasing quantities of 
cotton, fruits, and other farm products. Clarks- 



28 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 




Fig. 6o 



.1 strctl s^\iic ill tlic 
of Fort Smith. 



ville is the seat of Arkansas Cumberland College. 
Fourteen miles beyond, and in the same count v 
as Clarksville, lies Coal Hill, the seat of flour- 
ishing coal mines. 

We are now well within the section covering 
the coal fields, and here among a cluster of grow- 
ing towns we find, south of the river, Paris, the 
county seat of Logan, Booncvillc, a railroad 
division town, and Magazine, a busy trade 
center, and on the north bank of the Arkansas, 
Ozark, with various industries and. with excellent 
shipping facilities by rail and river, the outlet 
for a region that yields cotton, fruit, other 
farm products, and coal. 

Beyond these, near the Oklahoma border, we 
reach Fort Smith, the second city in the state 
and the thriving town of Van Biircu. Fort 
Smith (Fig. 60), the border city, lies on the south 
side of the Arkansas in a splendid agricultural 
region, rich also in coal and natural gas; its 
position on the river, and its excellent railroads 
furnish exceptional transportation facilities. 
Because of the advantages of these conditions 
it has become one of the most important com- 
mercial and indtistrial centers of the state and is 
destined to be the greatest business center of . 
the great Southwest. Already Fort Smith holds 
second place in the wholesale and jobbing 
trade of the state. In recent years the city has 
made an astonishing gain in population and 
wealth. To-day it has between 25,000 and 
30,000 inhabitants, or double the number it had 
in iQoo. Fort Smith has extensive manufactur- 
ing interests and an enormous capital invested 



in the coal industry of Sebastian County. Here 
is the largest cotton compress in the state, 
flourishing furniture and wagon factories, flour- 
ing and lumber mills (Fig. 35), and machine 
shops; and from this point increasing quantities 
of coal are distributed annually. A prominent 
railroad center in one of the most fruitful coun- 
ties of the state, it has a large and constantly 
increasing trade in agricultural products. More 
than 5.000 carloads of potatoes and large ship- 
ments of vegetables, peaches, and strawberries 
go from Fort Smith each year to the leading 
markets of the country. Van Biircii on the 
north side of the Arkansas, in a rich farming 
region famous for its fruits, is a growing com- 
mercial center, the count \' seat and largest 
town of Crawford County, and the seat of vari- 
ous flourishing industries. 

The Plateau Towns. In the region of the Ozark 
Plateau are found a number of thriving and 
important towns. Among a cluster of these 
towns, in the extreme northwest, is Faycttevillc, 
the county seat of Washington County, the seat 
of the State University (Fig. 61), and the largest 
and most important town in northwestern 
Arkansas. The State Agricultural Experiment 
Station is also located here. Great quantities 
of fruit are shipped from this point and here is 
found the largest cold-storage plant in the state. 
A splendid climate, pure, cool air in summer, 
beautiful scenery, and the advantages offered 
by a university town have made Fayetteville 
a delightful place of residence and a much- 




L'nii'crsily, J'ayiilcviiic. 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



29 



frequented summer resort. Northward, about 
ten miles, is S pringdalc , a great shipping point 
for apples, and northwestward, Siloani Springs, 
a, busy village with fine mineral springs (Fig. 50) 
near b\', and the seat of the Arkansas Conference 
College. Directly north from Springdale lies 
Rogers, a growing business town, with manu- 
factures of flour and lumber, a large cold- 
storage plant and fruit-evaporating works; it 
ships large quantities of apples and strawberries. 
A few miles northwest of Rogers is Bcntonvillc, 
the county seat of Benton County, with a large 
trade in apples and one of the largest fruit 
distilleries in the world. To the east, in Carroll 
County, in a situation of great natural beauty, 
is Eureka Springs (Fig. 62), one of the most 
widely-known health resorts in the state. Near 
by are numerous caves, some wonderful in size 
and beauty, and large deposits of onyx; this 
onyx has been largely employed in the interior 
finish of a great hotel on a mountain top over- 
looking the city. It is a county seat of Carroll 
County, and just beyond Kings River is Bcrry- 
ville, also a county seat of that county. 

Farther to the east in a splendid agricul- 
tural country and adjacent to immense de- 
posits of lead and zinc, is Harrison, the county 
seat of Boone County, with various flourishing 
industries. To the northeast in the same coun- 
ty is the busy town of Lead Hill and farther 
eastward is Yellville. the county seat of Marion 
County, and the principal mining town in the 




Fig. 63. In ihc business district of Batesville. 
m Mum Street. 



A view 




Fig. 62. A bird's-eye view of Eureka Springs, high up 
in the Ozark Plateau. 



great zinc and lead fields of northern Arkansas. 
Northeast lying on the border of the state, in 
Fulton County, is Mammoth Spring, a delight- 
ful residence town and pleasant health resort, 
which owes its name to a spring that gives rise to 
a large and beautiful river. Southward on the 
extreme edge of the plateau and on the south 
side of Little Red River is Hcbcr, the county seat 
and chief town of Cleburne County and a 
favorite summer resort. North and east on the 
north shore of White River is Batesville (Fig. 6;^), 
Independence County. Its elevation, natural 
drainage, pure water, and beautiful surroundings 
make it one of the most attractive places in the 
state. It is a busy railroad town and has a 
constantly increasing wholesale and jobbing 
trade and manufactures of wood- 
work, flour, and ice'. Near the 
citv are the great locks and dams 
(Fig. 7) built by the Federal Gov- 
ernment in the White River. Ar- 
kansas College, one of the oldest 
institutions in the state, is lo- 
cated here. Near l^y are numer- 
ous deposits of marble and other 
limestones. The Batesville quai"- 
ries furnished much of the stone 
used in the construction of the 
new Capitol. 

Towns of the Upper Ouachita 
Region. Among a group of cities 
and towns in the uplands south 
of the Arkansas is Hot Springs 



3° 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



(Fig. 64) , one of the most celebrated health and 
pleasure resorts on the continent and the fourth 
city in size in the state. It is often referred to 
as the "Baden-Baden" of America because in 
its situation and general features it so closely 
resembles the great German watering place. 
Its foremost interest is in the thermal or hot 
springs, found here. These springs, famous for 
the healing properties of their waters, lie in the 
center of a Government Reservation consisting 
of four sections of land, set off by Congress, in 
I S3 2, One free bath house, that is under the 
direct control of the Government, and a 
large number of bath houses belonging to 
private owners, who pay the Government a cer- 
tain sum annually for the use of the waters, 
have been built to accommodate the ever- 
increasing throngs that visit the springs. The 
manufacturing interests are limited to a number 
of planing mills and a wood-working plant. 
Surrounded by scenery of unusual beautv, 
substantially and attractively built, with many 
well-appointed hotels and excellent boarding 
houses. Hot Springs justly deserves its preemi- 
nent position among the health and pleasure 
resorts of the world. 

Midway between Hot Springs and Little Rock 
is Benton, the county seat and chief town of 
Saline County, with flourishing sawmills and 
cotton gins. Southwest of Benton and about 
twelve miles from Hot Springs, is the thriving 
town of Malvern, a railway town, principal 



trade center, and county seat of Hot Springs 
County, where are saw, shingle, and planing 
mills, and a large plant for the manufacture 
of brick. At the head of navigation on the 
Ouachita River, and due south of Hot Springs, 
is the growing town of Arkadclphia. It lies 
on the extreme edge of the plateau, has fine 
natural drainage and good water power util- 
ized in the manufacture of lumber and cot- 
ton, and is the site of a foundry and machine 
shops. It has excellent shipping facilities and 
a good trade in cotton and other farm products. 
Westward about thirty miles is the busy town 
of Pike City, the county seat and leading busi- 
ness center of Pike County, Northwestward in 
Polk County is the prosperous and growing town 
of Meua. Founded in 1895,- Mena has made 
an astonishing growth and to-day is the second 
city in this region and one of the most progres- 
sive in the state. Surrounded bv a splendid 
agricultural country rich also in zinc and lead, 
manganese and slate, it has a large and growing 
trade in cotton, fruit, and other farm products, 
and various flourishing industries, including 
large lumber mills and productive zinc mines. 

Towns of the Eastern Lowlands. Within the 
basin of the Mississippi lie the richest lowlands 
of the United States, and here, in Arkansas, 
are found Pi]ic Bluff and Helena, the third 
and fifth cities in the state. Pine Bluff is on 
the Arkansas about forty miles southeast of 
Little Rock and is one of the chief manufacturing 




04. .4 general view of the city of Hot Springs. This famous resort has a beautiful 
situation in a narrow valley surrou):ded by picturesque ranges 
of forest-clad mountains. 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 



and commercial centers of the state. Among 
its industrial interests are extensive lumber 
mills, large cotton compresses, and cotton-seed 
oil mills. It has an extensive trade by rail and 
a large river traffic, a line of packets connecting 
it with Memphis. On the opposite side of the 
river, and about thirty miles southeast of Pine 
Bluff, is Arkansas Post, the oldest settlement 
in the state. 

Arkansas City, on the Mississippi River, is the 
chief city in the southeastern tier of counties, 
with large cotton and lumber interests and good 
shipping facilities by rail and river. Westward, 
in Drew County, is Monticello, the seat of 
cotton manufactures and with a thriving trade 
in cotton, lumber, and fruits; and directly 
south, Hamburg, the leading town and county 
seat of Ashley County. Northeast of Pine 





Fig. OS. .1 



^' iij ]■'.'! i\-st looking from St. Frarxis 
County Court House. 



Bluff, in Arkansas County, is the prosperous 
and growing town of Stuttgart, with coal, oil, 
and gas interests and directly north Lonoke, 
a flourishing railroad town, the county seat of 
Lonoke County where the rice industry centers, 
and where there is a Government experiment 
station. 

Helena is on the Mississippi, and is the most 
important city in the extreme eastern part of 
the state. Lying in the richest cotton-producing 
region in Arkansas, it follows that it has a large 
trade by rail and river with the towns and 
plantations all up and down the valley. Among 
its flourishing industries is included the largest 
plant for the manufacturing of wooden ware in 
the state. 

Northwest from Helena is Marianna, a busy 
trade and industrial center in Lee County, with 
cotton gins and cotton-seed oil and lumber 
mills; directly north of Marianna, on an eleva- 



FiG. 66. .4 street scene in Joiiesboi.'. 

tion known as Crawley's Ridge, the progressive 
town of Forrest (Fig. 65), a railroad center with 

a good trade, and with large 

stave and other factories and 
cotton-seed oil mills; and farther 
north the enterprising town of 
Wynne, the leading railroad and 
business center and the county 
seat of Cross County. 

In the extreme northeast, are 
Joncsboro and Paragould, two of 
the most progressive towns in 
the state. Jonesboro (Fig. 66) lies 
on Crawley's Ridge, in a splendid fruit and 
gardening region, and its thriving industrial 
interests include barrel, stave (Fig. 67), and 
heading works, basket handle and brick fac- 
tories, and sawmills. It is a railroad town with 
good shipping facilities and does a large whole- 
sale and retail business. Paragould (Fig. 68) is a 
leading railroad center with wood-working, brick, 




Fig. 67. ^4 liard wood and staee unit, Jonesboro. 



32 



THE GEOCxRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 




Fig. 68. .4 view of Pnictt Street, tlie leadni;; 
thoronglijare oj Paragould. 

and concrete plants, lumber mills, Stave (Fig. 30 \ 
pin, and canning factories, and a grain elevator. 

Among a number of thriving towns in the val- 
leys of the White and Cache is Ncivport on the 
east bank of White River and at the crossing of 
two railroads, where are thriving manufactures ; 
pearl-bearing mussel shells are found in the river, 
and here in recent years pearl fishing has at- 
tracted much attention. Northward, on the west 
shore of the Black, is Black Rock, in Lawrence 
County, with cotton gins and lumber mills, and 
still farther north on the same side of the river, 
COf.iiug, county seat and chief trade center of 
Clav County. South of Newport and also on the 
east bank of White River is Augusta, the coun- 
ty seat of Woodruff County, where is located a 
factory for making pearl bvittons from mussel 
shells. To the west is Searcy, the countv seat 
of White County, famous for its white sulphur 
springs and its e.xcellent educational advan- 
tages; it has a good trade in cotton, straw- 
berries, and vegetables. 

Southeast, on the west shore of the White, 
is Derail Bliij'j, where, as at Augusta, pearl 
buttons (Fig. 41) are made and where there is a 
large oar factory (Fig. 8) from which it is said 
the navies of many countries receive their sup- 
plies of oars. Beyond, on Cache River where 
it enters the White, is Clarendon, the chief town 
and county seat of Monroe, with a stave and 
an oar factory and a foundry and machine 
shops; and north, in the same county, the flour- 
ishing town of Briiikicy, where are saw and 
planing mills, a cotton-seed oil mill, stave and 
heading factories and machine shops. 

Tcxarkaiia, the chief citv of the southwestern 



tier of counties, lies on the border of the state 
adjacent to Texarkana, Texas, and industrially 
and commercially the two cities really form one 
community. Many flourishing industries and 
numerous railroads are found here, and the 
citv has a large trade. Near by, coal and 
pottery clay are found. There are wood-work- 
ing plants, furniture factories, a wagon factor}-, 
machine and creosote works, oil mills, and a 
pottery plant. 

Northeast of Texarkana, in Hempstead 
County, is Hope with thriving manufactures 
and a large trade in peaches; near by is a fine 
lithia spring. Beyond Hope, in a region rich in 
minerals, is Prescott, the chief town of Nevada 
County, a center of lumber industries, and 
farther away in Clark County, the thriving 
town of Gnrdon. De Queen, a growing indus- 
trial town in Sevier County, north of Tex- 
arkana, has large lumber mills, other industries, 
and a flourishing trade. 

East and south from Texarkana is Stamps, 
the leading business center of Lafayette Coun- 
tv, with car shops and large lumber mills; 
southeast. Magnolia, the county seat of Colmn- 
bia, with a large trade in lumber and cotton, 
and in the adjoining county the prosperous 
town of Eldorado. Northward on the Ouachita 
River and at the crossing of two railroads is 
Camden (Fig. 6g), the center of flourishing in- 
dustries and an important trade. Northeast of 
Camden is Fordyce, the ciiief town and the 
leading business center of Dallas Countv. 



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